Under the lights, Old-Timers Game gives past stars another chance to shine

Joe Rice stepped to the plate and swung for the fences.

He made contact with a second-inning offering from pitcher Rob Toy. The ball sailed into shallow center and dropped in for an RBI single. While he didn’t crush the ball, it turned out to be an effective at-bat.

For more than a decade, Rice, 47, has had his share of ups and downs at the annual Old-Timers Game, a Thursday night tradition during the Freeport International Baseball Invitational.

But for him and many of the other players who again gathered for this year’s installment at James Swartz Memorial Field in Freeport Borough, enjoyment came from the opportunity to play the game they love under the lights in a relaxed setting.

“This is just so much fun,” said Rice, a former baseball coach at Apollo-Ridge who stays active in adult leagues in Indiana County.

Rice said this was at least his 12th year in action at the Old-Timers Game. The former FIBI coach pitched and played second base.

“It can be competitive because a lot of the guys can still go at a pretty decent level, but it’s not too serious,” Rice said. “Some years I throw, and I am spot on, and other years I miss. That’s just life, and it’s baseball. There’s no trophy. Whether it’s the Old Timers or the younger kids playing right now, the Freeport International is about coming out and playing simply because we love the game of baseball.”

There were concerns Thursday about the game’s status as it rained throughout the afternoon. However, the wet weather came to an end around 5 p.m., and the grounds crew got the field ready for Thursday’s penultimate game, a contest between Mercyhurst Legion and Hardball Academy from Pittsburgh, before the Old Timers main event.

“This is my second year playing, and last year was a lot of fun,” said Brett Burger, coach of the Springdale baseball team who also coaches the Deer Creek Dynamos at this year’s invitational.

“It was good to get back out under the lights in front of a nice crowd. It’s been a while since I was able to do something like this as a player. It’s a low-key atmosphere, and everyone is out here to have a good time.”

Burger, 33, played center field, reached base several times and scored a run. The Springdale grad was able to stay injury free, unlike last year.

In his lone at-bat during the 2019 game, he was hit in the ribs with a pitch. He stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Diving back on a pick-off attempt at third, he broke his left pinky finger.

Burger was able to score on the play as the throw to third skipped past the third baseman.

“I traded a finger for a run,” Burger quipped about last year’s roller-coaster on the base paths.

A number of the players Thursday said they expected to come away from the game feeling the physical exertion in all parts of their body.

“That’s why I took a break now,” said Toy, who started the game on the mound and got the chance to swing the bat a couple of times before resting for an inning.

“But this is a blast each year. Our group of guys come here (Swartz Field) every Sunday morning and throw the ball around and have some fun.”

Toy a 1989 Freeport graduate and Army veteran who lives in Freeport Borough, said he takes pride in doing his part to help the Freeport International, including field maintenance and the operation of the newly installed Swartz Field scoreboard.

“Whatever needs done, we all pitch in,” Toy said.

FIBI vice president Dave Brestensky again served as the public address announcer for the game, somewhat of a master of ceremonies who provided perspective to the game action and added both stories of past contests and unique information about each player.

Before the game, Brestensky was honored for years of dedicated service to the Freeport International with the Mike Westerman Unsung Hero Award. He was overcome with emotion when thinking of Mike, their relationship within the Freeport International family, and the meaning behind the award.

“Mike was such a good guy,” Brestensky said.

The award honors the memory of Westerman, described by those who knew him as a jack-of-all-trades who worked many hours on all aspects of the week-long Freeport International after his father, Ralph “Sonny” Westerman, created the event in 1994.

Mike Westerman died in March 2006 at the age of 51, and the award was established and first presented later that year during the Freeport Invitational.

His grandson, Dillon, plays on a Freeport team at this year’s event.

“Dave works tirelessly on making sure the field is always in great shape,” FIBI president Chuck Sarver said. “He’s been the liaison for all the international teams and helped bring in teams like France, Germany, Italy and Israel. Without him, those teams would not have been here. He is so dedicated to the Freeport International. Now, with his son DJ being so involved, it’s just great.”

The Freeport International continues Friday with games at multiple fields. The day wraps up at 8 p.m. with a matchup between Kiski Legion and Freeport Palomino at Swartz Field.

The seniors from both teams will be honored in a ceremony before the game.